The Abyss Of My Missing Heart
by Lover7W7
Summary: Light Yagami is brutally stabbed to death, his life taken from him before his time. The consequence for this is that his place in Heaven is striped from him, his soul too pure to be sent to Hell, he finds himself in the Shinigami realm. The only thing fueling him to survive this waist land is his inextinguishable need for revenge...
1. Chapter 1 : Welcome to Purgatory

**Authors note**: I did write and post this story previously but I never continued it. I came across as I was sifting through old papers and I thought, "Hey, I did this story three years ago an never finished it. Why don't I continue it?" So I revamped this fanfic and decided to go all the way and finish it. To those who might have read the older fic; sorry I never continued it like I promised. Though, you know what they say, late is better than never. I hope you enjoy this.

Tags; Graphic depiction of violence, mentions of depression, hell, heaven and purgatory concept, mentions of past trauma, alternate universe, OC, characters might be a bit OOC, Light behaves differently as he never obtains the death note, future LxLight, slow burn, like really slow, anguish, hurt and comfort, romance, bit of horror and supernatural.

Note; I've decided to put my own twist on the usual death God concept of Death Note. I will explain things in the fic as I go.

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Chapter 1: Welcome To Purgatory

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**_"were better to thank God for it, since the more you undergo down here, the less you will endure above. Grief is a portion of one's heritage taken in advance from Purgatory."_**

**_Saint Lydwine of Schiedam_**

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A chill ran down Ratio Yagami's spine as the icy breeze of the night fluttered by him. He pushed his fisted hands deeper into the pockets of his school blazer. He held his shoulders high and rigid in a failed attempt to retain heat. The cold simply ignored his useless troubles and sunk deeper into his bone. It caused his teeth to chatter and Ratio knew he had to make it back home soon. Less he finds himself in the afterlife from hypothermia.

The light click of his boots on the concrete sidewalk were the only sounds in the void of night; besides the shaken breaths he took, the chirp of a cricket and the occasional dog howl that sent shivers of fear through his bean.

All lights were off except the rhythmic street laps and the episodic porch light as the neighborhood people soundly and safely slept in their beds. An image of Ratio's own comfy bed flashed by his mind longingly as he forced his exhausted body onward.

A sigh escaped his cold lips as he jerked his right arm up into his line of sight. The fabric around his wrist slid back as he did so to reveal the digital wristwatch. Its crimson digits glowed to allow him to tell the time in dark shadows he walked in.

_00:13_

"Damn its late…"He cursed under his breath and hissed as the cold bit at his hand. He shoved his hand abruptly back into the warm safety of his pocket._ 'I'm never again going to let Trigger talk me into staying out this late…' _He mentally scolded himself.

Hikigane Shiawasena was a tricky one to deal with. His intelligence almost rivaled Ratio's but the black haired maniac enjoyed to waste his time and cunning on ridicules stunts and pranks. He was a person full of jokes and laughs; even at the worst of times. Ratio could still remember the day he had gone to an acquaintance's funeral with Trigger. The idiot purposely set an alarm, with the tone of 'High way to hell', to go off during the wake. He had felt like strangling the infuriating boy right there in the church and had considered throwing his body in the casket before they buried it; but he was to focused on keeping himself from laughing.

Ratio usually tried to keep everyone worth mentioning in his life pleased with him. Even if it meant he had to lie about what he truly felt. Trigger though, he could see right through Ratio and tried his damn best to push his buttons or to convince him of doing things that might piss people off. This time Trigger had convinced him to stay out long past his curfew.

Tired auburn eyes looked on to the deserted streets before him; an eerie image of dark deserted streets and dull lights with dark shadows all around. Shadows that were perfect places for monsters to hide in…

Memories of the terrifying horror movies Trigger liked to subjected him too shoved their way to the forefront of his mind. A shiver of fear trickled it's way down his back as he cursed the day he met the dark haired Japanese boy.

Now that he wished to get home as soon as possible, Ratio decided to take a calculate risk and turned into a gravel pathway that cut through the only field in his neighborhood; which separated him from his home. It was a short cut that he walked many times before on his way to Trigger's house. Even with the fear that began to clutch at his heart and his instincts that told him to run; he walked on.

He reasoned with himself that he lived in one of the safer neighborhoods, that he had walked this path at night before and that he only felt fear now because of Trigger's damn horror fetish. Though that did not stop his legs from breaking into a brisk walk that could be considered as a light jog.

When he reached a fork in the path he instinctively and quickly turn right. He knew these little pathways well and could technically walk them with his eyes closed, if he tried.

He could remember how he and would sneak out into these fields with Trigger, during school breaks or events. It was quite easy for Ratio to sneak around and even if they were caught a time or two. People usually did not question where the son of the chief of police was headed. There was a place near the middle of the field. A cluster of rocks that were surrounded by thick tall grass. It was a place that he could hide from the world and be completely genuine. No fake smiles to hide the crippling depression he felt constantly or the constant mask he held to please those around him.

If Ratio considered half the naughty things he and Trigger got up too, since he met the strange teenager, he could only imagine how livid his parents would be. His father especially.

His parents usually left him to his own devices as long as his grades stayed in the hundreds and his reputation stayed clean. With his father's workaholic tendencies and his mother's wishful thinking; Ratio was free to do as he pleased as long as his parents did not know what the extent or severity of some of his actions were. If they only truly knew what he did they would have his head. So he has kept them oblivious to his darker nature.

To them he was the perfect son; and why would they think anything else if he did not portray himself as anything else. The only one in his family that even ever got glimpses of how truly imperfect Ratio was, was is sister, Sayu Yagami. Even then he loved his sister too much to burden her with the ugly monstrosity that was his mind.

To the world Ratio was perfect; one of the highest IQs in Japan, most popular in his high school by his peers and most loved by his teachers and he had a moderately rich family with high respect were it mattered. His life to an outsider was perfect.

_'If they only knew the horrors I survived…'_

Memories of burnt and maimed corpses, burning buildings with wrecked cars and ashed roads scattered around, horridly twisted faces screaming in agony and that twisted and evil man with the crooked smile and deranged eyes flurried in Ratio's mind. It caused his head to throb with the beginnings of a headache and his stomach to twist in knots.

The teenager shook his head of the red painted memories and pressed on with more vigor in his step. He now had more determination to get to his bed and sleep away his woes.

Yes. To the world he was perfect.

Was perfect.

_'Too perfect…'_

A sigh escaped his lips as his limbs began to feel heavy and he slowed his tap to-

A pain shot through the back of his head as something solid came in contact with his skull. The sudden attack forced Ratio harshly to his knees. He lead forward with his hands clutched at his pained head. Before he could raise his head another smashing pain erupted in his right side and sent him hurdling to the dirt ground.

Shards of glass cut through his blazer and button up shirt; a useless protection to his surroundings. A growl rumbled in his throat as he lifted himself up. The sound of a crunch behind him alerted him to his attackers approach. He tried to turn and strike at his attacker but they struck at his back before he had the chance. He crumbled to the ground with an agonized cry. His back felt as if it was struck with a sharp object. He could feel the razor pain sliced down his shoulder blade accompanied by something thick, hot and slick.

Ratio could feel his attacker above him. His he could feel his own heart beat pick up and the rush of blood in his ears. He could feel the overwhelming fear that clawed at his heart and strangled his throat.

_'I'm going to die if I don't do something…'_

CRUNCH

CRUNCH

THUD

A bruising boot pressed into his shoulder. It further aggravated the wound on Ratio's back. The pain burned through is muscles and forced a chocked whimper from his lips.

_'There right above me.'_

He stretched his hands out to something, anything that could help him. His fingers touched a cold, smooth and sharp-edged surface and he closed his hand around it. He barely registered the stinging pain in his hand that was dulled by the adrenaline cursing through his veins; before he blindly thrusted the object in his hand into his attacker's leg.

With a shout, the attacker stumbled back and Ratio took his opportunity to scrambled to his feet to face the bastard that struck him. He was ready to hurl himself at his attacker in rage but it was far too dark to see were exactly they were. The only thing that helped the teenager to make out the growling figure before him was the dull sheen of the full moon. The outline of the crouched figure stood up and revealed just what a hulking mass they were.

At the sight of how massive his would be opponent was compared to him, Ratio lost all and any anger that might have bloomed in the initial attack in an instant. His dead rage was quickly replaced by fear that overwhelmed him and the only thought to cross his mind was run.

His legs seemed to have a mind of their own as they forced him into a sprint down the pathway. He did not get far before a sharp pain erupted in his left leg followed by his right shoulder. The sudden pain caused Ratio to crash back into the dirt with an agonized cry.

Ratio tried to get up, tried to get away, but when he moved pain shot through his body. He was left to whimper and cry into the dirt as the intense ache became too much.

A giddy laugh instantly quieted the wounded teenager as he focused on the heavy thud of boots that approached him.

"Please wait- " Ratio's please were cut short as he was roughly tugged over onto his back. A heavy weight fell onto his midsection and pinned him down. He coughed harshly as it became harder and harder for him to breath as it felt as if his chest was filled up with water. There was a thick taste of iron in his mouth and warm liquid trickled down the side of his face.

He struck out at the dark figure above him. He snarled, scratched and spat at them with all he had. He wanted them off. He wanted to get away. He should not have bean there.

_'I should have stayed at Trigger's house…'_

The figure above him seemed to grow impatient with Ratio's struggles and struck him back, repeatedly. Blow after blow his head was smashed into the ground. White spots began to form at the edges of his vision and a sharp sound screech in his ears.

Ratio felt dazed, his head throbbed and he barely noticed that his attacker had stopped beating into his skull. He could scarcely make out through squinted eyes the twinkle of shiny teeth grinning down at him and the shine of a knife that hovered above him.

The scene clicked in Ratio's mind and sent shocks of alarm through his system just in time for him to use his arm as a shield. He wailed in pain as the knife cut through flesh and embedded into bone.

He blindly began to scratch and claw at the figure's face with his free hand and did his best to blind them. He heard a frustrated grunt before the knife in his a wash yanked out. Ratio hissed a cursed at the shock of pain in his arm and was distracted enough for his wrists to be pinned above his.

Ratio's lungs aced at his rapid breaths and his heart violently struck at his rib-cage as he stubbornly and furiously thrashed about, in a fruitless attempt to escape the domineering figure that forced him down. He fought through the pain, fought through the profuse panic in is bean and he damn well would fight this bastard tooth and nail.

The shadowed figure forced Ratio down further with a knee pressed to his chest painfully. A howl of agony erupted in the teenagers throat and echoed in the night as he felt his rib cage crack and press agents his heart. A hand left his wrist and it gave him the opportunity to strike at the bastard. A sense of accomplishment washed over him as he landed a sturdy blow to the face.

The figure growled deeply in outrage, Ratio's brief victory was short lived as a sharp object shredded through his throat. His body went rigged with shock; his mind blank. Time seemed to slow down, and then ricochet back into dreading reality.

Hot tears poured down his paling cheeks in rivers as he numbly grabbed at the figure above with his free hand. Salty tears mingled with glistening blood. It creeped abundantly down the sides of his throat. The hot crimson liquid filled his mouth and trapped fear filled screams in gurgled bubbles.

The glittering black of night turned pitch black. The figure disappeared into the darkness; only it's gleaming, wicked teeth could be seen vaguely as his body numbed to all. His hand fell from its hold on the figure to lie motionlessly beside his head. Coldness clutched around his heart and steadily slowed its rapid beats to stillness.

Ratio lungs relaxed to release his final breath that plunged him into darkness.

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He felt as if he was floating like a leaf left adrift in the ocean. An ocean with black waters. It's dark depths unknown and its inky blackness surrounded him in that gravity deprived place.

Senseless thoughts drifted in and out of his mind in lazy bouts; never the same and never coherent. No matter how hard he tried to decipher these rhythm-less musings in his foggy mind; he could never grasp onto them long enough to make sense of them. They were as smooth flowing, formless, colorless and meaningless as the black waters around him.

There in that cold abyss he felt numb and lifeless. In the empty void he floated in; he melded with the empty waters. As if he was in a dreamless sleep.

It was peaceful. It was comforting. It was empty. It was a deep sleep. It was like the welcomed arms of deaths embrace after years of suffering.

So suddenly the peace was destroyed by light that flashed across his eyes. Were his eyes even open? Was he not asleep?

The light intensified into a blinding white that shocked his system into awareness. Then the light vanished and was replaced by imagery that surged and pulsed as if alive.

_A woman smiling at him as she held a small fragile babe in her arms. A smiling bearded man who held his broad and strong hand over his should._

_The welcoming arms of a bright figure that seemed so warm and comforting . The figure seemed so sad to see him go. So was so familiar yet so foreign. Like he was coming home after years of being gone._

**_White teeth that glinted in the dark maliciously. The gleam of a sharpened blade that hovered oh so menacingly…_**

His eyes snapped open to reveal panicked red orbs. He instinctively gasped for air but found non. His panic intensified as he state up and began to claw at his throat.

_'Breath, breath, breath…' _He chanted in his mind in hopes it would come true. Moments passed and he soon relished that he was not suffocating like he should be. He frowned in confusion as he held his hand over his mouth and tried to breath out.

Nothing. No air at all left his lips although his chest and shoulders moved with the motion that seemed to indicate life. No breath touched his hand.

**_His brief victory was short lived as a sharp object shredded through his throat._**

He unconsciously slipped his hand down to his throat to feel for a wound yet he found only smooth skin. Smooth skin coated with a dry and cracked substance. He scratched at his throat to get it off.

He brought his hand away to look at it. To find that the substance he scratched off his through looked like dark, reddish flacks. Like dried blood left to bake in the sun

He felt the indents of one of his palms to find that there was the same substance creeped into the various shallow wrinkles of his hand. His hand slipped up his wrist as he felt along his inner arm. He could see that his whole arm was coated in the same matter as his throat and palms. He looked down his body to find that he was naked except for the same dark flacks that trickled along his chest.

"Blood?" He murmured with a depend ground.

Confusion consumed his mind as he tried to make sense of his state of body. He looked around for help but only found a barren waist land. It's strange monotone colors seemed as if the pigment was sucked out of the land. Dark almost black rocks scattered over gray sand. The expected blue sky was a dark gray with clouds almost as dark as the rocks.

_'Where the hell am I?'_

He tried to remember how he came to be here, naked in a strange land and covered in what appeared to be dried blood; but his memory came to a blank. Only a familiar dread and a deep rooted despair would dig into his chest when he tried to recall what happened. It brought cold tears to his eyes. His eyes burned and blurred as rivers ran down his cheeks to drop down his chin and neck.

Why was he so sad? Was it because he could not recall anything; even his own name? Was it because he felt that he lost something precious and irreplaceable? Or was it because deep down in his subconscious he knew why he was and how he came to be here?

He could not control the unreasonable pain he felt. It was crippling and it was unfair. Unfair because he could not remember the reason he was so sorrowful. The confusion that accompanied the agony was frustrating. Sobs began to rack his body in jerked motions as he curled in on himself.

With his face buried in his knees and his ears filled with his own misery; he did not notice the heavy crunch of a stranger's feat on the course sand as they approached. Not until an abrupt and jolly-filled laugh shocked him out of his depressed state. He whirled around to see who the intruder was and what he saw surprised him.

What stood before him could not be considered human. The creature stood tall at what seemed over two meters. It was a flesh less skeleton with sharp teeth and gazelle horns protruding put its skull. It was covered in black tattered clothes ; similar to that of the stereotypical reaper. What bone-limbs that were left uncovered by the dark cloth was embroidered with purple gems and silver patterns. The gems and silver etching swirled all around ivory surfaces in elegant patterns. Its eyes closed in a menacing red.

This creature shook him with terra yet mesmerized him with its strange beauty.

A chuckle past through its sharp teeth as its jaws unhinge to speak.

**"Welcome to Purgatory."**

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Note: Is started to write fanfiction as a fun way to improve my writing skills so I'll appreciate any reviews. Constructive criticism will always be welcomed. Thank you for reading!


	2. Chapter 2 : The fylgja

**Chapter 2: The fylgja **

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**_"When the Fox hears the Rabbit scream he comes a-runnin', but not to help."_ **

**_― Thomas Harris, The Silence of the Lambs_ **

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"Purgatory?"

The stunned and bloodstained youth could not help but parrot the word as he stared dumbfounded at the strange and royally embellished skeleton before him. Its raged black cloths a stark contrast to its beautifully decorated and jewel encrusted bones. What was even stranger for the youth came the thought of how this creature could speak. Its bones seemed to be picked clean from any flesh, any muscle that could be used to produce vocals. Such a magically strange bean with the horns of dragons.

"Did I s-stutter." The creature mocked with a rich laughter that bubbled out of it. Its clothed and bony shoulders shook with a wicked joy. Its long white hands grasp at a non-existent belly; inky claw like nails dug into even darker colored cloth. Its red eyes gleamed at him as its gum-less teeth grinned at him. This things appearance screamed dangerous.

The young brunette frowned at the rude creature and an indignant rage reared in him. Regardless of the warning bells that went off in his mind.

"Did_ I_ stutter?" He snapped back without much thought.

The creature's laughter came to an abrupt halt that settled an eerie silence between the two. A silence the youth immediately regretted being the creator of. The creature took a threatening step forward. Its bony and large foot thudded with the dry ground loudly.

The naked boy yelped and jerked back. His instinct to run screamed loudly in his head; but run to where? He took a brief glance around his surroundings. The bleak sight of a desecrated and colorless wasteland greeted his searching eyes and he concluded that he would not get far if he ran.

"Runnin' won't help ya."

The gruff voice that answered his privet thoughts frightened him. Could this creature read his mind? If so it did not seem pleased with him. The harsh tone of voice was nowhere close to the jolly pitch he was first introduced too. He had angered this dangerous entity.

He chose to heed the advice given to him and froze in his place and stared wearily at the creature that stared back at him. His hands and knees dug into the gray ground below him. Crouched low as he watched the creature make the first move. He fought against his instinct to run, his instinct to curl in himself and his instanced to fight. He felt he should not further push his luck with this thing.

The horned skeleton reached into its ratty dark clothes that sort of resembled an old and warn kimono as it began to take slow and deliberate steps towards the bloodstained youth. Said boy swallowed hard as he watched the bulk of this creature growl larger and larger as it came closer to him. This thing was humongous in size compared to him. It seemed to at least stand three-meters-tall.

He wished to run and hide from the creature yet his limbs were numb and stiff with hopelessness. All he could do was shakily and slowly push himself off his knees into a low crouch, in a pathetic attempt to stand his ground against the hulking monstrosity before him. Its flesh might have been stripped from it clean but its bones were still as massive and thick as a giants'. This creature was truly a sight to fear.

"Fresh meat."

The skeleton called out to him as it stopped a mere three large passes from the youth. Its words made him further weary as they implanted ideas of cannibalism in his mind. Though could this thing truly cannibalize him if it did not appear human. The word cannibalism was reserved to the evil that would eat its own kind. This creature may have seemed like it might have once bean human, a very big human, but it was no longer human now and not the youth's kind whatsoever. Or was it truly like that? For some odd reason he could not help but feel a familiarity with this creature. The kind reserved to finding a kindred soul.

"I won't hurt ya." The skeleton's words were softer and less gruff than before. Dare he think almost soothing. Its actions contradicted its statement as it pulled out a dagger from its garments. For a split second he thought the creature was going to throw the blade at him. He flinched back as he closed his eyes to ready himself for the expected pain. Non came however. Instead he heard the clunk of a blade embedded into soil.

He opened his eyes to see the dagger the skeleton once held embedded into the ground inches before him; though compared to the youth's overall size, the dagger could be considered a two handed long-sword. It had a sharp silver tipped pommel, with round purple gems stoned into both sides. The daggers handle a smooth black glass that reflected his disheveled appearance. An iron ferrule with shark tooth patterns carved into it. The cross-guard asymmetrically morphed into black sharp edges and silver smelted into the sides with black gems that lined the sides. The blade itself curved and morphed to resemble a jagged saber tooth. White gold seemed to be smelted into the sides with round purple gems stoned in a row down the length of the blade. It was a beautiful and dangerous looking blade.

"You'll be needin' that."

He looked up to ask what he would need this for but to his surprise he found it gone. The giant horned skeleton had vanished as if it was never there. He was now with a dagger the size of his arm in baron waist land with no recollection or memory of how he got there or where or who he was and he was alone. Or so he thought until an ear piercing scream erupted in the distance and shattered the silence the skeleton left.

In a sudden panic he scrambled to his feet and grabbed the dagger. He held it in two hands at the ready. He strangely began to feel calmer now that he held the blade. A numbness began to seep into his chest. A feeling he could not explain. Like something was slowly being taken from him but he could not tell what.

Another scream erupted in the distance and drew his attention from the strange feeling that accumulated in him. More and more blood curdling screeches joined the first few. They created a terrifying choir fit for a horror show theme song.

He could feel fear pules through him with every scream yet it felt watered down and cut off. As if he should feel more afraid yet was incapable of such an intense emotion. He felt more frustration than fear. It crawled under his skin like a parasite. It scratched at the back of his neck like a long forgotten memory that he desperately wished to recall.

The sorrow and confusion he felt earlier was all but forgotten. It was replaced by a slowly growing coldness. A frigid cold that numbed his heart and steeled his limbs to iron. He felt stronger and far more aware of his own body and surroundings than he could ever remember being.

A haunting cry sounded off somewhere past the large black boulders he faced and this one sounded very close. He could here loud scratching and scuffling behind the boulders as if something was climbing up it. He griped the dagger tighter and steadied himself for what was to come. A deadly calm settled itself over him as he felt his body ready for something. He felt as his body was no longer in his in his control. This should frighten him but he did not achieve the opportunity to contemplate the issue any further.

An animalistic growl that came from above the boulders drew his gaze towards a terrifying creature. It appeared humanoid yet it looked horribly deformed. Its limbs were disproportionate with its arms longer and thinner than it legs. Its hands were large and its nails resembled knives instead of claws. It looked badly malnourished yet its bony body appeared to be strong and deadly. Its faces were morphed into a gaping maw with long, sharp teeth. Its eyes and nose were gaping holes of inky blackness.

It crouched on the top of the rock and raised one of its clawed hands as it unhinged its jaw and released an ear piercing screech. It lunched itself of the rock and began to sprint towards the armed youth.

Some sort of foreign predatory instinct took over him as he watched the screeching monster gnash its teeth at him as it ran. The trickle of fear he had felt was now completely gone and replaced with a steady calm that took over his whole bean. His eyes sharpened along with his that muscles tensed and his grip on the dagger tightened. His body acted without thought as he lunged towards the creature that pivoted towards him. With one swift motion he beheaded the screeching thing and silenced it forever.

Before he could begin to feel surprised at his own actions another cry sounded off to his left along with more that seemed to come from every direction. More of the horrifying creatures began to appear in the distance. Crawling over rocks and the bones of dead things that he could not recognize. They snapped their teeth together like rabid dogs as they ran towards the bloodstained youth.

One rounded a boulder very close to him and barreled towards him. He stumbled back as it reached him in an instance. It took him by surprise and he was not able to dodge its claws that slashed at him. Its long nails cut through his chest and he hissed at the slice of pain. He slashed back at the creature with the blade and slit its throat, almost beheading the thing. Its head dangled uselessly before it collapsed to the ground.

He was surprised by a sudden pain that stabbed into his shoulder. He blindly swirled around to stab the dagger into the head of the monster that had decided to skewer his shoulder. The blade pierced to the cross-guard into the creature's skull with a sickly wet crunch. The thing collapsed to the ground and the he followed it, he crouched over it, to keep his grip on the dagger.

The sounds of heavy foot fall accompanied by labored growling alerted the brunette to the approaching danger behind him. He tried to yank the dagger out to cut down the next target but the blade was stuck. The dead creators head instead tugged with the blade; its open jaw shaking with the movement in a way that made his stomach twist. The noises behind him became louder with every second that past along with the slowly growing panic inside him. He put his foot on the dead things head to give him some leverage as he yanked harder.

He glanced behind him to see the open maw of a monster with edged teeth ready to sink into its victim. He used his forearm to shield himself from having his jugular ripped out. Teeth clamped down on his arm and sunk into his bones. He bit back a pained cry as he finally pulled the dagger lose in time to stab the creature in the eye socket before it got the chance to maim his face off.

Another crawled its way over the dead one to snap at the youth with its rotten teeth. It tackled him to the ground and caused him to lose his grip on the handle of the dagger. His back hit the ground with a heavy thud. The creature clawed at his chest in a frenzy and desperately tried to bit his head off. The only thing that kept the youth's jugular intact was his shredded forearm. His unoccupied hand searched for the missing dagger in a hurry. He found a broken old bone instead and immediately shoved it into the creature's throat. The monster gave one last gurgled cry before it went silent and fell limp on the youth.

The maimed youth struggled as he shoved the hideous corps off of him and staggered to his feet. He spotted the dagger and grabbed it before he impaled it into the heart of the next creature that tried to jump him. He yanked the blade back and watched as the creature tried to numbly slash at him before it let its last labored breath out and crumbled to the ground.

A menacing growl brought his gaze to the monster crouching low before him. It watched him wearily as if gauging whether to attack him or not. The maimed and tired youth realized that this might be the last monster in the area. That might be why it was being much more cautious than the rest that just mindlessly threw themselves at him. It no longer has its pack to back it. This cautious nature did not last long before it seemed to grow inpatient. It stood up to its full height and stretched out its arms and claws as if it was trying to make itself seem bigger. Like a cat that puffed out its fur in the face of danger. It let out a haunting cry before it charged towards the youth. Said youth acted quickly as he sidestepped the creature and slashed at its arm. The blade cut through its elbow and amputated half its arm. The arm fell to the ground as the creature seemed to cry out in pain. That did not stop the thing and only seemed to make it angrier. It whirled around in a frenzy and blindly slashed at the youth. It lunged at him like a mad dog with a scream of vengeance. The youth let out his own raged and frustrated war cry as he forcefully stabbed the dagger into the creature's chest. They both fell to the ground by the force of it. The thrashing creature went limp and the tired youth staggered to his feet.

He took a moment to scan the area for any more hostiles. He found none besides the dead ones that littered the ground around him. He took a closer look at the corpses and to his surprise the deed bodies began to rapidly decay. As if he was watching a taped video set to fast-forward, the flesh and muscles of the corpses began to break down. Already gray skin turned black and peeled back to reveal maggots that expeditiously broke the corpses down to bones. The bones were picked clean in seconds before it seemed as if the maggots began to die. The yellow maggots lost their color before turning black then they shriveled up and turned to ash. The sight appalled him and the blood stained youth had to force himself not to gag and to will the slowly growing nausea away.

What had just happened? What were those things? How did he kill them all so easily? Was he a trained fighter and he just could not remember like everything else?

He looked down at his hands and the dagger as if it had all the answers that he needed. He only found more questions as to his amazement his maimed arm began to stitch itself together. The ugly wound sizzled as if battery acid was poured on it yet he felt no pained sensation besides the strange feeling of his flesh moving on its own. A numb sensation such as pins and needles that pricked his skin lightly in rapped succession. The torn flesh mended itself together slowly till the wound completely disappeared as if never there.

The now healed youth stuck the weapon he held into the ground and felt with his now free hand along the place the wound once was. The skin on his arm was smooth and scar-less as if it was never injured, as if not just moments ago the flesh hung of his arm in tattered ribbons that revealed his white bone. He felt along the other places where he should have had wounds but found them in the same state. This might have been a pleasant surprise but it was a surprise that only furthered his frustrated confusion of the predicament he was in.

"Confused."

The brunette's eyes shot up to see the same embellished and horned skeleton as before. It stood at a bit of a distance away from the stunned youth yet close enough for its steady voice to be heard. A weariness washed over him as he slowly reached down to pick up the dagger once more. His eyes never left the skeleton's, as the pray never takes the risk of looking away from its predator when cornered.

"Haha…put dat der thing away. You ain't goin' be able te hurt me with it."

The skeleton's words dripped with amusement that immediately raised the brunette's hackles. A contemptuous growl rumbled deep in his chest. A warning. His grip on the blade tightened. The youth may have been paralyzed with fear before and he would be lying if he said he was not terrified of this giant but he had had enough. He had had enough of this place and its monstrosities.

"Ow, you don't like it when I laugh at ya, do ya?"

The damned creature began to laugh loudly as if it found the youth's every action hilarious. Said youth grinded his teeth and fought off the urge to attack the giant. He knew he would not survive a fight with this giant. He could feel it deep down; a primal instinct to surrender to a superior. He could not give into his urges though. He needed to fight, needed to survive. He could not trust that this thing would not try to kill him.

"I'll warn ya once not to try and run or attack me."

This creature's uncanny ability to read and answer the youths thought frightened him to the core. Never the lest he obeyed the creature. He felt that if he listed to the skeleton he would survive longer for it.

"Ya so tense! Loosen up lad!" It laughed as it put its bony hands on its hips. It was strange how its flesh-less jaw moved as it laughed. "I told ya this before lady; I ain't gonna hurt you. Why would I give ya dat der toothpick if I was goin' te kill you?" It waved its hand lazily in a gesture towards the dagger.

That question took the bloodstained youth by surprise. The hostility in him began to fade and be replaced by curiosity. He let the blade down slightly as he began to study the skeletons face, or well, skull. The expressionless skull gave him no indication to what the creature might be thinking about.

"Why did you leave this weapon here for me." His voice was hoarse from not using it often and it was quiet and cautious. The question provoked an affronted scoff from the skeleton as if it believed the question to be retarded.

"Why, if I didn't leave dat toothpick vir ya, then ya'd be dead."

The Skeleton began to slowly stroll around the area of bones left by the struggle the bloodstained youth had with those monstrosities. Said youth watched it carefully and closely. It said it would not hurt him and so far it had done nothing harmful too him and had actually helped him with acquiring a weapon to defend himself with. Though it could have warned him about those screeching horrors and its mysterious behavior set him on edge. It was better to be cautious.

"Ya handled yourself well I see." It came to a stop by a pile of bones near where the youth stood. It glanced at the pile of bones before it fixed its crimson gaze on him. Its red glowing eyes stared the brunette down. Its intense sight made him very uncomfortable, as if the creature was contemplating whether to kill him or not.

"Suppose ya earned ya keep, for now."

Before the youth had the chance to ask the creature what it meant, dark mist seeped out of its bones. The mist enveloped the skeleton in a thick blanket that hid it completely from sight. All but its red glowing eyes were hidden from the youth's sight. The red dots glowed brighter before they flickered like a flame in the wind and then went out completely.

The brunette squinted as he took a hesitant step forward. He tried to make out the figure in the dark mist but had no luck besides the darkened silhouette of what he assumed was still the skeleton. The silhouette began to shrink however to a more human like shape. The mist began to dissipate and he was finally able to see what had happened to the skeleton.

In the place of the skeleton stood a man. A large and tall man with balked muscle that pulsed with power. His upper body bare to reveal a plain of skin littered with jagged scars and swirled tattoos. The tattoos resembled the patterns he saw carved into the skeleton's bones.

The youth's eyes traveled up this intimidating man's body to his face. A salt and pepper bearded face with a balled, scared head. The man's face was aged with many decades of ware and tare. A scar cut through the brig of his of his strong nose, another through his cheek and eyebrow. The largest scar past through his left eye, that was covered with a black leather eye-patch. The scar extended around his balled head to the back. The man's visible eye was a crystal clear blue that seemed to be lined with black eyeliner. The man looked human but his pointed elf ears spoke otherwise.

What appeared to be silver or iron cuff bracelets with purple crystals stoned into them were wrapped around his wrists. His dark leather, knee-high combat-boots were steel tipped with iron spikes and iron leg guards. His black pants were form fitting and appeared to be leather and were held up with a black leather bridle. The bridle wrapped around his waist and slang around his left shoulder. To his left hip appeared to be a dagger holster that was empty and to his right hip a holster with a dagger handle sticking out if it that looked exactly like the one in his hand. From where he could see, there was a massive two-handed great sward strapped to the man's back. This man or manlike creature resembled a gypsy-pirate, given the eye-patch, beard and armed appearance.

The bloodstained youth suddenly remembered that he was naked and in the presents of a half bare man. How did he not realize this sooner? Was it because he was more focused on being confused and being attacked by monsters or was it because he was now seeing a very well built and attractive body before him. He felt his neck and cheeks heat up as he realized he was attracted to this man's body. He consciously tried to cover his bare lower areas with the dagger and tried to ignore the rush of blood to his member.

To the boys utter horror the man seemed to know that he was slightly aroused and smirked at him. The man held out his hand before himself and mist seemed to seep out of his palm. The mist expanded up his arm and around his torso to cover his whole upper body before it dissipated. In its place was left a black tank top that did not do much to hide the man's muscle definition.

"Better?"

"Fuck you…"

That seemed to be very funny for the tattooed man as he began to laugh hardily. The boy frowned in confusion as he had not expected that response from the man. Then he registered the implications of his rash words and he instantly felt his stomach drop and his face set on fire. "I didn't- "

"Relax boy. I don't go vir wet behind the ears toddlers."

The youth's embarrassment was forgotten quickly and replaced by his irritation at the man's words. He opened his mouth to throw a rude curse at the tattooed man but shut his mouth quickly when thought that his comment might lead to his further embarrassment. The man watched him the whole time with an amused smirk smeared across his bearded face.

The man held out his hand once more and mist seeped out of it in wafts. This time the mist moved in slow puffs towards the naked youth. Said youth took a step back and raised the blade in his hand as he watched the mist wearily. He looked up at the man with a silent demand that he explains what he is doing.

"Don't ya want some clothes?"

The youth wanted to ask him where he was going to get clothes, when he remembered that he had just watched this tattooed man magically change, from a three-meter-tall skeleton to a two-meter-tall human like man with elf-ears, and make a shirt appear out of mist.

So, he let the dagger drop and stiffly waited for the mist to reach him. Said mist slowly circled him and began to creep up his leg. The mist felt cold and strangely damp like he was being brushed with wet cotton. He tried not to blush as it covered his privets and seep up his torso. It covered his whole body and when it covered his face he panicked. He felt as if he was submerged in cold water but the feeling only lasted for a moment before the mist disappeared.

He looked down his body to find himself dressed with tight yet oddly flexible black jeans and a dark grey, long-sleeved V-neck that hugged his body perfectly. He as well wore a similar pare of combat boots as the tattooed man. Strapped around his waist and back was what appeared to be a holster for, what he assumed, was for the weapon he held.

"There ya go! Now dat ya're all dressed and ready, put dat toothpick in its holster and follow me." The tattooed man gesture excitedly for the youth to follow him. Said youth stayed rooted where he was as he continued to wearily stare at the man.

"Thank you for helping me but I'm sorry to tell you that I still don't trust you."

The man's grin fell from its place as he dropped his gesturing hand back to his side. He went quite fore a moment with an odd look on his face. He did not look mad or vengeful to the youth's relief. He looked like he might be contemplating something very imported if that intense look in his eye said anything as he stared off into the distance.

"Suppose it's only fair I tell ya a little more." The man looked back to the youth with a wicked glint in his blue eye and a crooked smile. "Let me start with who I am. I'm Refr Fylgja and from here on out ya are my ward."

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Note: Thank you for reading and please review. I would like to know what my readers think about Refr.


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